Wichita eagle., 1887-09-25
RAMBLFs ABOUT EUROPE.
From England to Egypt Especially for
the Eagle.
No XXIII.

| NO XIII.
i 1t Is considered extremely hazardous II
midsummer for tourists to visit Naples
Some members of our party branched of
and went to Austria, rejoining US subse-
quently at Pisa, but the main body, re
gardless of the rumors of cholera, contin-
ued on from Florence, stopping ovel
night at Rome. AS we were to return tc
the latter place and remain five DAYS, VIZ
thought 1t scarcely worth while to take In
any Of the sights Of the eternal city upon
this occasion. However as there was g
view the Colosseum by moonlight, the
same quartette who had been lured by
Lunais rays out into the Lagoon at Venice,
ventured out about 10 o'clock behind q
pair of good steppers, Drawing the alleged
noxious night air that fused formerly to
find Its way into the city from the mias-
matte Champagne, and soon the glorious
sight of this noble wreck in ruinous per-
lection" doomed up before us. AS we en-,
tered its dark portals, in front of which a
feeble gas Jet only served to intensity the
gloom, the moon opportuuely, and as
though timed for the occasion, peeped
over the wall, revealing to us the vast am
phitheater where, ages ago, one hun
dred thousand people had turned
their thumbs up or thumbs down
in token Of approval or disspproval, in
some gladiatorial feats, where the van
pushed stood awaiting the fate, that by
this strange procedure would assign them
to instant death or give them one more
chance for their lives. Here where we
stood, in the heart of old Rome, was the
arena OF arenas, whe1e In one day one
hundred lions fell By the supple arm of
gladiatOrial monarch, and one hundred os-
triches gave their last kick through the
same agency. Beneath Us five thousand
wild animals had been confined In one day
to be let loose In this arena, according to
program, for the amusement of the specta-
tors. They are pitted against each other,
to fight to the death Sometimes it was
wild beast and a Christian At other
times captives who were made slaves fought
each other, and the victor, though a muir
derer, became a freeman 1t is related of
one individual Of this class that through
in oil oil al 70
rose to great renown; that even mobiles and
royalty itself were his pupils. On this
spot the sanded floors of the arena were at
times removed and water to the depth of
ten feet was let In. The populace of Rome
could then witness the naval engagements
gotten up for their entertainment with as
much zest as probably they had manifested
q day or two previous, when the Numidian |
lions had licked their chops over
The mangled remains Of mar
.yred Christian. For five hundred years
Rome kept up this kind of sport. The
'ame moon that was clarifying these dis.
nantled terraces and broken walls with
sheen as illusory as the opium devotees
lream. looked down upon the Colosseum
eighteen hundred years ago, and beheld it
n all the beauty and symmetry Of youth.
n its old age, decayed, broken and useless,
t hides as with 8 garment these defects,
'nlY too glazing In the broad light Of day.
The next morning we boarded the train
or Naples, running parallel for a long
distance with the Appian way-a stone
ike laid out by Appius Claudius 312 years
'efore Christ. Many Of the towns along
his route are perched on abrupt elevations,
presumably for defense. and show evidence
t considerable antiquity. One of the
lost striking objects that meets the eye in {
he distance is the Benedictine Monastry of |
{ Monte Cassino-an educational institu- {
on of much renown in Italy for the prep {
ration Of such only as design to enter the t
riesthood. The monks, some thirty In 6
lumber, have charge of one of the most 6
recious libraries in the world. Further s
long We enter the ancient Campania-one c
the richest agricultural districts In t
)uthern Europe l am told that it Is no t
ncommoh thing to raise two crops of t
rain aud one Of grass each year from the e
lme ground. Capua, through which /
e pass, is fortified !
'wn about as large as Emporia. 1t was h
ere that Girabaldi defeated King Francis G
in 1850, Long before reaching Naples
It. Vesuvius is discerned, emitting from r
5 crater a moderate column OF smoke, 1
hich at night, in plain view from our I
indow, changes to lurid glare, which, 2
be appre ciated must be seen, for no r
lists brush nor tourists pencil can do 1t Il
lstice. o
st 5 O'Clock on Sunday morning we are n
oused from slumber to eat hurried b
,eskfast and then pile into carriages that g
Ill convey US up the rugged sides Of We v
ivius as far as the station of the inclined O
ilwsy, which reaches nearly to the crater II
Ii of our party respond to the summons e
,cept two-one young gentleman who p
Id succumbed to the climate Of southern S,
ally, the other a young lady, the fsvorite c
the party, who sacrificed the fondest de- Il
re of her heart to q sense of conviction in +
eeping both the letter and the spirit of l
e divine Injunction, Remember the Ii
sbbsth day to keep 1t holy. have no 3